TAIPEI, May 14 (Reuters) - Taiwan's Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics maker, reported on Thursday a 19% rise in first-quarter profit versus the same period a year earlier, beating expectations due to strong global demand for AI products.
Net profit for January-March for Nvidia's biggest server maker and Apple's top iPhone assembler was T$49.92 billion ($1.58 billion), versus a LSEG consensus estimate of T$48.88 billion.
In an earnings release, it stuck to its previous forecast of "strong"
growth for revenue this year and said it also saw strong demand for AI servers. The company does not give numeric forecasts.
Foxconn, formally called Hon Hai Precision Industry, in April reported a 30% on-year jump in first-quarter revenue.
Most of the iPhones Foxconn makes for Apple are assembled in China, but it now produces the bulk of those sold in the United States in India. The company is also building factories in Mexico and Texas to make AI servers for Nvidia.
Foxconn has also been looking to expand its footprint in electric vehicles, which the company sees as a major future growth generator, though that has not always gone smoothly.
In August, Foxconn said it had struck a deal to sell a former car factory in Lordstown, Ohio, for $375 million, including its machinery. It had purchased the plant in 2022 to manufacture EVs.
Foxconn will hold its earnings call later on Thursday in Taipei.
The company's shares have risen 6% so far this year, underperforming the broader Taiwan index's 44% gain.
Foxconn shares closed 2.6% lower on Thursday ahead of the earnings release.
($1 = 31.5030 Taiwan dollars)
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Jamie Freed)
